The present knowledge of the centipede fauna of Anatolia (Chilopoda)

Biogeographia - vol. XX — 1999 (Pubblicato il 31 ottobre 1999) Biogeografia de1|’AnatoIia The present knowledge of the Centipede fauna of Anatolia (Chilopoda) 1 MARZIO ZAPPAROLI Dipzzrrimento all Protezione delle Pizmte, Universitfz zlellzz Tuscizz, Via Szm Camilla de Lellis — [—01I00 Viterbo (Italy) Key words: Chilopoda, Anatolia, Turkey, checklist, zoogeography. SUMMARY On the basis of published records and original data collected between 1973-1993, a synthesis is presented of the present knowledge of the centipede Fauna of the Anatolian peninsula from faunisric and biogeographical points of view. The whole Anatolia within Turkey as it is politically constituted today is considered. One—hundred-twenry- three species have been recorded: 2 Scutigeromorpha (2 genera), 73 Lithobiomorpha (7 genera), 13 Scolopendro— morpha (2 genera), and 35 Geophilornorpha (15 genera). These values, however, are provisional, owing to the lack of faunistic knowledge and some unresolved taxonomic problems, especially for Geophilomorpha. For the zoogeographical analysis, 100 species have been considered. The main ehorological categories are represented as Follows: species widely spread in the Holarctic Region (17 species): W-Palearctic ( 1), Sibero—European (1), Centralasiatic- European (2), Turano-Europeo—Mediterranean (2), Turano-Mediterranean (2), Europeo-Mediterranean (1), SW- Asiatic (8); species more or less widely spread in Europe (23): European (5), Centraleuropean (5); S—European (13); species more or less widely spread in the Mediterranean countries (20): Mediterranean (9), E—Mediterranean (11); species widely spread in the Palearctic Region but occurring in small periferal areas of Western Palearetic region (2): Saharo—Turano—Sindian (1), NE—African—Sindian (1). The endemics of the Near East occurring in Anatolia (38 species) are arranged in the Following groups: N—Anatolian (= Pontic) (13), W—Anatolian (2), NW—Anatolian (3), Ponto- Caucasian (6), S-Anatolian (= Taurian) (8), Central Anatolian (1), Kurdish (4), Kolkhidan (1). The larger rate of endemics has been recorded in N—Anatolia, especially in E-Pontus, where it reaches about the 38% of the regional fauna. The rate ofendemics recorded in SE—Anatolia (5%) is very low but this figure could be influenced by the general lack of faunistic knowledge in this area. An annotated checklist of the species of centipedes of Turkey is also given (Appendix I), as well as a synthesis oftheir local distribution according to the presence in the natural regions and in the administrative provinces (Appendix H). The following new species and subspecies of Lithobiidae are described (Appendix H1): Lit/meizzs (Lit/whim) zzntanel/as n. sp., Lit/Jab/Tm (Lit/Jalziut) biamlii n. sp., Lit/ralziur (Sigilzim) dagzzlmyzzziterzris n. sp. and Lit/Jalzizzs (/l/[mzatzzr.rabi1z.t) mzznimttrii n. sp., all from E—Anatolia; Lit/Jabizzr {Lit/Jabizis) z'5pzzrte7z.tz'.t n. sp., Lit/Jobizzs (Lit/Jab/T115) pleriu: rmmlyrzzzus n. subsp. and Lit/Jabiu: (Lit/Jobz'z1r)ple5izz5 tzutliriai n. subsp., all from S—Anatolia (Mediterranean region); and Lit/Jobim (Lit/7017i!!!) rizemit n. sp., from E—Pontus. The following new synonymies are proposed: Lit/7abiu5 libel‘ Lignau, 1903 = Lit/Jabiut cilicizu Verhoeff, 1925 syn. nov.; Lit/Jonizzr l1'berLignau, 1903 = Tmnzzlim/.tp/mnetut Chamberlin, 1952 syn. nov.; Herzizz (Tut/cop/iilizs) /mrom Verhoeff, 1941 = Henizz mzgclvui Riharov, 1987 syn. nov. 1 Zoological researches in the Near East by the Universities ofRorne: 189. This study was partially supported by grants from MURST 1999 (University of “Roma Treq) “Variazione geografica e diversita a livello di specie, faune e zoocenosi: cause storiche ed ecologicheq.